Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
The standard computer keyboard is the predominant way to enter text and information into a computer system. However, a full-size keyboard may not be suitable for use in mobile computing devices such as smart phones, watches, head-mountable devices, and tablets, where portability and small size may be desired. Typically, in mobile devices, a keyboard can be represented in a miniaturized form on a touchscreen, or computer inputs may be made through a limited number of input actions, such as with a reduced number of multi-function buttons. These means of interfacing with mobile devices have limitations. Therefore, providing mobile computing device users with the ability to easily input long passages of text into a smart phone, for example, without using a full size keyboard, could change the way that people use computers.
In addition to the standard keyboard, other means of generating inputs, such as text, into a computer system are currently in use. For example, some smart phones and computer systems utilize a camera to identify user gestures for computer input. However, this technique can be prone to background distractions and occlusion, and may not be effective in adverse lighting conditions. In addition, touchscreen devices allow for various user inputs that may not be limited to entering alphanumeric characters on a keyboard. These devices, however, detect user contact with the surface of the device, and are typically limited to 2D gestures.